Friday, February 27, 2009

Porcelain Skin




Book Passages Series #03: Please leave feedback, any and all is appreciated. Please vote on your favorite of the three images, the poll is found in the top right corner of the blog.

Excerpt from Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Toilets in modern water closets rise up from the floor like white water lilies. The architect does all he can to make the body forget how paltry it is, and to make man ignore what happens to his intestinal wastes after the water from the tank flushes them down the drain. Even though the sewer pipelines reach far into our houses with their tentacles, they are carefully hidden from view, and we are happily ignorant of the invisible Venice of shit underlying our bathrooms, bedrooms, dance halls, and parliaments. submitted by Frieda Babbley

If you are new to this blog and are interested in the origins of this Book Passages series please visit my first post "What have you read lately?"

If you are interested in contributing to this visual journey please submit a book passage with title and author in the comment section or email me. Thanks!

4 comments:

Frieda Babbley said...

Very cool that there are so many votes so far. Nice to see! I love the first one. I think that is my favorite. Mind you this comes not only because of the paragraph I had pulled out, but also from having read the whole book. It fits the context perfectly. The pose is phenomenal and her expression is so natural. Love it.

William Zuback said...

I plan to give a print to everyone that submits a passage that I interpret so if you would like a print of the first image I would be happy to send you one. You'll just have to send me an address to send it to. I gave Tea her print last week and she loved it. Send me an email instead of posting it here. I still don't know if I like the first or third better. If you look at the landscape and the sunlight on the field it is actually a woman's figure so in a subtle way it is closer in terms of idea to the first one than you may realize. Thanks for sending in your passage. My next one has me stumped a bit. It could be a little longer than a week before I have that one ready.

Frieda Babbley said...

I see what you mean about the third one, Bill. I wondered about that and I did debate it. And there's something about it being out in nature and blending in the way it does as if it just grew there naturally. You know, let me think about it. You're so good at this photo translation stuff that it's sohard to decide. Have you read this book?
I'll get back to you. I don't think I got Dave's opinion. I'll have to ask him if he voted. Then I'll e-mail you?

William Zuback said...

I have not read the book but I did read a synopsis on it because it was just so "out there" as a passage that I wanted to have some basis for my interpretation.